THOSE in leadership positions need to do more to wean citizens off of an acute dependence on State assistance, former Minister in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr Lincoln Douglas said yesterday.
Speaking at a service to commemorate Emancipation Day at the Holy Trinity Church in Portof- Spain, Dr Douglas said, “We have a legacy of slavery, colonialism and post-colonialism, and all of these ideas and things have not left within the minds of Trinidadians. A philosophy of dependency, of begging, of waiting of anticipating of hoping and not taking the initiative to transform their lives or to make a major change.” He continued, “That is one of the things our leaders have not properly addressed or have not addressed the culture of the people. How long are we going to depend on oil or gas? Those are finite commodities. What we have to do is build-up our people, have a creative education system that teaches our people to make things or products, how to live and create a place that is really meaningful.” Douglas told the congregation that leadership is not what you can do for yourself or what you can get for yourself, but to move in the progression of freedom which goes from salary to independence to inter-dependence.

This diatribe, is reminiscent of a Morgan Job speech of yesteryear, where neoconservative black mis-educated Trinidad are willing to spout innuendos with no historical fact. These are the unqualified personels that continue to hold a space in high places, no wonder Trinidad is in its continued state.There will always be a philosophy of dependency in Trinidad because equilibrium have been historically lacking, the former minister, in his reactionary zeal have not been astute in comprehending what Trinidad was created from. Culture in Trinidad, are like horses running in different directions, with every ethnic group or organization having their own niche.While Trinidad reflects the capitalist system, every meaningful investment comes from outside with the donors seeking interest in huge amounts, do your home work Mr former culture Minister,Trinidad have no leverage on the price of oil or gas. Why , as culture minister you did not advocate a self fed nation? you were in office during the mass influx of fast food chains entering the country, making our own fast foods obsolete, why did you not address those short comings? apparently, culture to you means carnival with all its lewedness, and the women as cornerstones of its carnalism.We are well aware that Trinidad cannot continue to exist the way presently,you see, Trinidad is a lie, let the truth be told, we do not aspire together, or archive together, nations are not built through words.Trinidad must recognize its history, before building a future. The former minister should know, that a man who have one finger pointing at another, has three fingers pointing at himself.Emancipate yourself from mental slaver.HOTEP.